Stranded Square

[Smitch320]

Got in my truck to crank it up and head down the road and nothing.

Lights work and the horn works, and that is it.

No clicking, no nothing. I checked the connections, the ground and even tried jumping it to no avail.

Have some tools and am in walking distance of a parts store.

Thanks

 

[Swims350]

need to test the battery and mostly the starter if it ran fine before.

I'd go with starter but maybe the battery is so low it won't make any noise but yet enough power for lights and horn.

 

[Smitch320]

Interesting, I whacked on the starter with a hammer and it didn't do anything.

Side note- I have what appears to be a leak from the back of my intake, could oil have something to do with the starter failing?

Thanks I will test the battery

 

[89Suburban]

Check the connection at the big wire on the alternator. If you know where the fusible links are, give them a wiggle and a twist. If they are bad or going bad that might get it to kick on. One is at the alternator, the other at the junction block on the firewall, the other near the starter.

 

[J Knight]

Mine would do this on occasion, changed the starter and it worked fine.

 

[Boonie]

that happened to my 74 years ago, turned out it was a blown fusible link by the starter

 

[Smitch320]

Wires are good on Alt.

Going to check the fusible link(s) tomorrow in the day light. Are they like a traditional fuse and will be obvious if blown?

Thanks for all the help, worse comes to worse I will pull the starter and replace. It is the original starter as far as I know.

 

[Driver4r]

1. Turn the headlights on.
2. Try to crank it, if the lights dim, its probly a low batter or poor connection.

If they dont, Its a bad starter, or a fusable link(our 86 did that).

 

[Swims350]

no fusible links are completely covered round things in the middle of the wire, that's why a pull and twist can sometimes make em work if they have loose connections, only way is to test them with a test light for power on both sides of the fuse in the wire.

oil can cause a starter to mess up.

have the battery checked to be sure but also have the starter checked.

 

[Smitch320]

Checked starter, N switch, etc. Friend pointed me in the direction of the ignition switch(top of steering column) and still nothing.

Going to have her towed to the mechanic.

 

[Swims350]

now I had a 76 that would do everything but crank and it was the wire going to the junction block on the firewall, on that truck is was on the ds top near the booster.

 

[Smitch320]

Before I send it to the mechanic, I am going to seek help from a friend. He has been messing with small block Chevrolets since before I was born, and has owned about every year of squarebodys.


Thanks to all for the help.

Don't judge me on this, I have no mechanical schooling or experience other than my truck and small engines.

I couldn't get the two bundles of wires to completely join the ignition switch...could that have been the issue? I have run out of daylight for now and have class in the morning.

Thanks again for all of the help, and patience.

 

[Smitch320]

And when I say "completely join" I mean about an 1/8th of an inch or less...

 

[Swims350]

so wires are unplugged then? since you say get them to join?

if so then yep it could be a problem.

no judging man that's what forums are for to find out info.

everyone started out a newb, nobody came out knowing about cars it all had to be learned. You stick around long enough you'll learn and one day you'll be helping out new guys and gals on older vehicles if they have one.

 

[Smitch320]

This is the switch I pulled (had a hard time getting the wires off)

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Then went to the parts store and got this one, which I had a hard time getting the wires on.

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Thanks, Swim. I am learning, slowly but surely. I have always like working with my hands. I am going to give it another shot tomorrow after class and hopefully I can get the old heavy chevy running again.